Arrow
ALL RESOURCES

ITUC-AP Peace Message in English

Document
Statement
2
Aug 2020

A letter by the ITUC-AP General Secretary, on the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, calling for peace as war always sacrifices workers. More than the destruction of homes, factories, cultures, and lives, the violence and despair brought about by war severely retards the progress, justice, and well-being of a people.

Further contemplation brings to a point that labor exploitation brought about by profit maximising capitalism of several powers in the Western Bloc was a strong contributor to rising tensions that ultimately broke out the first World War. Had these countries prioritized decent working conditions and policies on just living standards of their people over military expenditure, the war may not have occurred. 

With this, a plea is made to prioritize protecting workers as part of national legislation. Apart from ensuring just wages and decent working conditions, so too must their freedom of expression and freedom of association be protected. Trade unions work as an organized body to protect and promote workers welfare and thus, trade unions must be protected